ignorant of rule, and not instructed by the comparison of nodels, judged only by their eye or ear; and he was the best painter or the best poet, who could at tract the one or the other. The most forid paintings, and poems of the most monstrous images, were still in fashion in the last days of Catherine, and the walls of her favorite palaces were indiscriminately covered with the chef-d'œuvres of the great masters, and with daubs which would scarcely be admitted on an English sign-post. Music was precisely in the Samne state. The Russian music is characterized by a simplicity which degeneFates into monotony, and by a gaiety, which,wanting distinctness and variety, is more frequently noisy than musical. The Empress Catherine endeavoured to in prove it, by infusing the Italian melody. The Empress, howevever, here completely failed; and though there were few things but what she could compass, at least in some degree, she left the Russian music where she found it. The ears of the Russians would neither understand nor tolerate the science of the Italian opera? An Italian singer was received by the audience with much the same temper, as they would have received the pope; the direct countenance and even the presence of the court, was scarcely sufficient to protect him from insult.

There is another minor art, if so that may be called, which is certainly an object of rule, in which the Russians had little excellence, previous to the present reign. The Russians, though generally an active race, and particularly the women, had not that natural distinction which is said to have characterized the ancient Greeks, and which in no inconsiderable degree has descended to their posterity. They were not naturally dancers; their dancing was nothing but the irregular gaiety of a people of happy disposition. It consisted in nothing but a wild agility, a rapidity of motion, with no attention whatever to elegance or harmony. It was little to a Russian, whether he moved his arms or legs, if by such motion he could keep a kind of general time with a tune of about six notes. The savages of New Zealand dance on their hams, and the ancient Russian seemed to perform, as if he followed the palsy for his model.

Such was the condition of the arts of painting, sculpture, music, and dancing, at the decease of the Empress Catherine. Let us see what is their present state,

and through what interval they have passed.

This information is only to be found in the accounts of recent travellers. There are two of those who at present occupy the 'public attention: Sir John Carr, in his Northern Tour; and Mr. Ker Porter, in his splendid work, the Travelling Sketches. The Northern Tour of Sir John Carr contains much valuable matter, and personal observation; and I read it with much avidity. The Travelling Sketches of Mr. Porter, are infinitely beyond my praise; perhaps no book can be produced which, without the dryness of professed statistical research, contains a more fuil view and survey of the present state of manners, arts, and political economy of the Russian empire. His pencil, more over, comes in to the aid of his pen, and by their united results, not only the substance, but even the form of Rus sian life and manners, is before the eyes of the reader. Mr. Porter has made the public a gift, which I hope will not be the last.

"The Emperor Paul," says Mr. Ker Porter, "with the best intentions in the world, but certainly with a strange way of pursuing thein, was an avowed pro tector of the arts, and particularly of painting and sculpture. As an example for all painters, he issued an ucase, by which it was ordered that all bridges, watch-houses, and imperial gates throughout the empire, should be painted in the gayest possible manner. Every thing was accordingly arrayed in red, and this colour in consequence become so much in fashion, as totally to destroy, and as it where overwhelm all genius. No picture would be looked at, in which all the figures were not arrayed in this coleur," &c.

As the book of which I am speaking, is of very recent publication, I am afraid of being thought to do injustice to the able author, by availing myself too liberally of his information. But whoever wishes to obtain a perfect idea of the present state of the fine arts in Russia, will do well to consult the sixth letter of Mr. Porter, in which he gives an account of the present state of the Russian Institution for the Encouragement of Arts. For the sake of completing this part of my subject, I must be permitted to avail myself of one extract further:

This liberty we must give and take. hanc veniam petimusque damusque vicissim.

« What

"What I can pronounce with any certainty, as to the present state of the fine arts is, that sculpture and architecture have been much advanced. They appear to me in a very promising state. The little I have seen of painting, gives me a totally opposite impression. I have several times passed through the apartments of the Academy where the young men work, and, as an artist, have minutely examined their performances, but in none of them could I discern the germs of the future painter. I sought to explain this to myself, and found one very efficient cause in the bad examples which are ever before the eyes, and which they copy as the standards of perfection. The walls, instead of being enriched with a few excellent paintings, are disgraced with myriads of vile daubings. Whom are we to blame for this? Certainly not the imperial foundress or her successors. The invaluable saloons of the Hermitage, are ever open to the students of the Academy. There they may stray from morning till night, imbibing from the sublime works of Michael Angelo, and Raphael, the very fountain of taste and improvement. These they neglect, or rather I should say, that the professors never introduce them to a glimpse of such great originals. Why, I cannot pretend to tell you; but so it is, and thus, for want of the same plan, which prevails in the schools of sculpture and architecture, the whole of the expence lavished on that of painting is little better than absolutely wasted. When manifest want of genius and bad instructions are united, nothing but disappointment can be the result. Able teaching and industry may give respectable proficiency to the most moderate capacities; and it iswell known,that bad examples will corrupt and destroy the finest talents."

Mr. Porter then proceeds to give his judgment upon the productions of statuary and architecture, of the present Russian artists. He pays very high compliments to Mr. Marlanze, an elève, of the Petersburgh academy. This gentleman has produced, by Mr. Porter's account, some admirable pieces of sculpture. One of his works is a colossal statue of John the Baptist. Mr. Ker Porter gives a description of this, which is very favourable to the present state of sculpture in Russia.

The churches and palaces of PetersBurgh, such as have been finished by the present race of architects, are equally proofs that architecture begins to be

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understood, as well as statuary. perverse taste of the Emperor Paul, indeed, finished a magnificent church in brick, which his mother had begun, and almost completed in marble; but the taste of the monarch is so little in conformity with that of the n ion, that there is a general wish that this part of the church may be rebuilt. It is no inconsiderable argument, that a nation will shortly be distinguished for eminence in an art, when it already shews itself to be pos sessed of the primary principle of taste.

through the remainder of their voyage, by singing, with much simplicity and ease, several of their national airs. The strains are wild, and possess many plea sing and melancholy passages, yet the whole bore a strong tone of melancholy and abruptness. Such indeed is the general character of these northern songs. I think that the monotony which dwells so long upon the ear, with one or two plaintive notes, is the cause of their deep melancholy impression. I have remarked this effect in old Scottish laments, and also in the wild dirges of the Irish peasantry.

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With respect to the church music, "there is something peculiarly impressive in the whole of the church service. In the boors we see simple and devout ardour; they pray aud cross themselves, with an earnestness which is peculiarly gratifying. It is impossible in seeing them, not to conceive the most favourable sentiments of them; for however ignorant they may be in other respects, when once they know the nature of the Almighty Being, and are sensible of standing in his omniscient presence, a salutary awe fills their mind, and integrity is the natural growth, as the corn is from the ground in which the seed is sown. The church-music is fine, has much simplicity, and is all vocal. Those who chant are not seen, which gives a more charming effect to their voices. The most celebrated church in Petersburgh, for fine singing, is the Maltese chapel, and there it is of the most exquisite melody."

Mr. Porter likewise gives a similar description of the music of the opera and theatres; but it might be deemed unpardonable to give such length of extract. It will perhaps be thought that I have already availed myself too liberally of this gentleman's confirmatory observations. But it must be remembered, that we live in days when authority goes farther than reasoning.

The Russians of the present day, equally excel in the dance. According to Mr. Porter, they fall not a whit behind the French, except that they have more personal modesty. This latter quality, indeed, as far as it respects any delicacy of personal display, is confined to the higher ranks; for a Russian woman of the lower order, according to Mr. Ker Porter, has no idea that there is any part of her person, which it is required to keep from the eye of her lover, or even of a stranger.

to the haggard attendants of Hecate. Amidst this superabundant groupe, indeed, we descried a few young virgins (whose twisted hair declared them to have pretensions to that title); and their slender and serpentine figures gave us some hint, that the female form divine was not quite obliterated from their race."

It must certainly not be contended, that a people have reached very high in the rank of civilization, whilst they retain a practice scarcely paralleled amongst the most savage islanders of the South Seas. Who would believe, unless upon the most indisputable authority, that in the very centre of Europe, there could exist any part of a people, thus insensible to all natural modesty?

The other usage to which I allude, is of a nature which one would believe impossible to any being in the very infancy of civilization. Here again I shall introduce Mr. Porter to speak for himself.

"While I am upon this subject (the Manners of the Peasantry), I cannot omit mentioning a strange custom which they have amongst them; one very repugnant to nature, and to British feelings even shocking to think of-Fathers marry their sons to some blooming girl in the village at a very early age, and then send the young men either to Mosco or St. Petersburgh to seek employment, leaving their brides a few days after their marriage to the care of their parents. At the expiration of some years, when the son returns to his cottage, he finds himself the nominal father of several children, the offspring of his own parent, who had deemed it his duty thus to supply the place of an husband to the young wife. This is done all over Russia, and is never considered a hardship by the parties. Indeed, so far from it, the. fashion continues; and when the son becomes a resident in his native village, if he have a numerous stock thus raised to him, he sends them packing, and then enjoys himself, like a Turk in his Seraglio, among their wives."-These two instances of barbarism are sufficient to do away all the extravagant representations of the French writers, with respect to the civilization of the lower orders in Russia. What must, in fact, be the condition both of the moral feeling, and of the faculty of judging, amongst a people thus horribly depraved (for so it must be termed), in the very first elements of natural instinct? It has not indeed been well established by the travellers into Africa, that even the Hottentots, the

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